Regional Workshop on Theatre for Development & Sexuality - Nepal
This workshop, held in two phases in Kathmandu, Nepal in March, 2002, was organised by the Theatre for Development (TfD) to help increase participants' understanding of the factors that determine access to information on sexual health and level of control over sexual behaviour. Specifically, its aims were to:
The focus of the workshop was on developing skills to facilitate discussion about issues concerning sexual health and sexual behaviour, not on content (sexual behaviour or sexuality) per se.
The majority of participants in Phase I were adults from Save the Children (UK) (SCUK) programmes in the region, with a few additional development practitioners working on sexual, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, gender, and violence against girls and women. Participants were asked to bring a brief write-up about their work, including documentation (audio-visual or written) of successful tools. After participants introduced themselves using theatre games and heard a presentation on TfD's work, they attended sessions on understanding experiential learning, exploring the use of films and video in work on sexuality, and understanding sexuality using individual or group exercises.Participants learned how to:
Although the focus and content of the Phase 2 workshop were similar to that of Phase 1, half of the participants were children from three of the SCUK programmes projects in Nepal and half were adult staff from organisations that work with children and young people (a majority of which were SCUK staff). Participants identified pressing issues, explored the role of the group in dealing with peer pressure, and developed negotiation skills and role reversal techniques.
The purpose of this phase was to involve children - especially marginalised children - and communities in reflecting on and responding to issues around sexual health and behaviour.
This workshop was structured around the belief that, while children play an essential role in helping other groups of children with regard to these issues, mobilising the support of adults and the community as a whole is crucial.
- facilitate involvement of children, young people, and communities in identifying issues related to sexual health and sexual behaviour;
- develop tools that facilitate discussion of and debate on the issues identified; and
- explore realistic community-driven options for responding to these issues.
The focus of the workshop was on developing skills to facilitate discussion about issues concerning sexual health and sexual behaviour, not on content (sexual behaviour or sexuality) per se.
The majority of participants in Phase I were adults from Save the Children (UK) (SCUK) programmes in the region, with a few additional development practitioners working on sexual, reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, gender, and violence against girls and women. Participants were asked to bring a brief write-up about their work, including documentation (audio-visual or written) of successful tools. After participants introduced themselves using theatre games and heard a presentation on TfD's work, they attended sessions on understanding experiential learning, exploring the use of films and video in work on sexuality, and understanding sexuality using individual or group exercises.Participants learned how to:
- Generate stories based on what really goes on in the sexual arena;
- build the stories into performances;
- conduct status exercises to understand power relations and how they determine human behaviour;
- prepare for performances within the group; and
- utilise the tools in non-performance settings.
Although the focus and content of the Phase 2 workshop were similar to that of Phase 1, half of the participants were children from three of the SCUK programmes projects in Nepal and half were adult staff from organisations that work with children and young people (a majority of which were SCUK staff). Participants identified pressing issues, explored the role of the group in dealing with peer pressure, and developed negotiation skills and role reversal techniques.
The purpose of this phase was to involve children - especially marginalised children - and communities in reflecting on and responding to issues around sexual health and behaviour.
This workshop was structured around the belief that, while children play an essential role in helping other groups of children with regard to these issues, mobilising the support of adults and the community as a whole is crucial.
Development Issues
Children, Youth, HIV/AIDS.
Key Points
Since 1999, SCUK for South and Central Asia region has been promoting the use of TfD in its work with children and young people in order to incorporate the voices and concerns of children and young people in the designing and implementing of programmes that affect their lives, like HIV/AIDS. The magnitude of HIV/AIDS is varied in the countries of Asia. Although some countries still show low HIV prevalence, the underlying factors that determine vulnerability to the pandemic are prevalent in most countries, highlighting the need for greater understanding of issues concerning sexual health and sexual behaviour.
To accomplish these goals, TfD utilises tools such as:
To accomplish these goals, TfD utilises tools such as:
- Conceptualising and writing plays, and performing them;
- using art, music, song and dance;
- analysing the causes of problems, like HIV/AIDS;
- facilitating the engagement of children with adults and other children; and
- developing skills to foster negotiations with authority figures.
- collective exploration generates spontaneity that facilitates identification of issues that are often associated with shame and fear;
- encouraging community ownership and participation requires that communities and children be active participants, not passive recipients of information;
- the root causes, practices that increase risk or harm, and determinants of sexual behaviour like power relations must be addressed in ways that are contextually and culturally appropriate, rather than on the basis of prescriptions from outside;
- increasing the sense of control of children and communities over their existing situation is an important goal; and
- principles of good development practice and rights-based approaches should be incorporated into work in this area.
Partners
Save the Children UK, Office of the South and Central Asia Region (SCUK OSCAR); Theatre for Development.
Sources
Letter sent from Vijay Rajkumar to the Communication Initiative on March 6, 20002.
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